People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends andsome genuine enemies. Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you. Be honest and sincere anyway.

What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight. Create anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous. Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, will often be forgotten. Do good anyway.

Give the best you have, and it will never be enough. Give your best anyway.

In the final analysis, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.

Mother Teresa

Tracy has picked out new subdivisions in which streets will be named after troops killed in the Iraq warBy John Upton

Tracy casualties of Operation Iraqi Freedom will be honored on street signs in new Tracy neighborhoods.A 20-year-old City Council policy instructs developers to name at least one street in every new subdivision after a current or past resident killed while serving in the armed forces.

Sgt. Patrick McCaffrey lived on a Street named after one of Tracy’s casualties of’ the Vietnam War until he was killed in Iraq in 2004.After he found out he was going to deploy, said McCaffrey’s mother, Nadia McCaffrey, he said,"Well, I hope there’s not going to be a street named after me" of course, we laughed at the time.A street named after Patrick McCaffrey will be in the Southgate subdivision, according to Lombardo.which is being built south of the western end of Schulte Road.“My grandson is now 12,” Nadia McCaffrey said. “He was talking about it this Memorial weekend, and I said, ‘Yeah, if you’re patient, we will be able to go into the street that’s named after your dad.’ He’s really excited — he always asks about it”A street there will also be named after Sgt. Steven Bridges, who died in December 2003. His mother, Loreta Bridges, said Thursday she was excited by the news.Streets in the Yosemite Vista subdivision will be named after Pfc. Jesse Martinez and Lance Cpl. Brandon Dewey. Yosemite Vista is being built east of MacArthur Drive and south of’Schulte Road.It will keep Jesse’s name and him alive in the town’s eyes,” Martinez’s mother, Jan Martinez, said Thursday.

A street will be named after Sgt. 1st Class Tung Nguyen in Tiburon Village — a 103-home project planned northwest of the corner of MacArthur Drive and Valpico Road. Kimball Lornes spokesman Bill Stanton said he expects home construction to begin in Tihuron Village next spring.Joseph Menusa Lane, near Lowell Avenue and Corral Hollow Road, was named for Sgt. Joseph Menusa after he became (he first serviceman killed in Operation Iraqi Freedom in March 2003. Tracy casualties of the war in Iraq will be honored in new Tracy neighborhoods, following a 20-year-old City Council policy

As the conflict continues in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other places, the prevalence of soldiers coming home with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) will become a major concern for our society. PTSD is characterized by hyper-vigilance, anxiety, nightmares, flashbacks, anger, emotional numbness, paranoia, depression, and insomnia. Any where from 60 percent of veterans are diagnosed with PTSD but as many as 55 percent are affected. While the disease was first named in the aftermath of the Vietnam War, still very little headway has been made toward treatment in comparison to other mental illnesses. Treatment can be very costly as medical insurance often do not pay for a sustained treatment. The Veterans Administration, facing financial strain, cannot provide adequate care for all affected by the disease. Consequently, a disproportionate number of veterans suffer from ill health, turn to substance abuse and often end up estranged from their loved ones or unable to hold down jobs, unemployed. The longer it is left untreated, the harder it becomes for the veterans to recover. If left untreated, they will become a social liability as they turn to criminal activity or drop out and become homeless. A retreat center proposed herein can provide a much needed sanctuary away from distractions and other daily pressures for veterans traumatized by memories of war to fined peace and healing.

A Soldier’s Story

"Within six weeks from returning from a 12 month tour of duty in Iraq, I was diagnosed with acute post traumatic stress syndrome. I was experiencing depression and anxiety, and felt very angry. I unfortunately, took this out on my wife and daughter, who did all they could to be helpful and understanding. But they weren't able to heal me. I found myself trying to hold the enormity of my pain and the anger inside.

While attending a Veteran's Retreat lead by Vietnam Veteran and Buddhist Monk, Claude Anshin Thomas, I began to learn how to accept my feelings and not to suppress or discard them. Through this awareness and meditation exercises, I began to learn how to control my anger, anxiety and irritability. The time spent with other Veteran's at the retreat provided a safe environment for me and I was relieved to see that I was not the only one with PTSD.

This experience was definitely the catalyst to the beginning of my healing process. This retreat provided me with the tools to learn how to start understanding and accepting the person I had become as a result of my experience in Iraq. I believe that all returning Veteran's should be offered a safe place to decompress after deployment. When I returned from Iraq, I was given one week between living in a war zone and returning to civilian life. There is no doubt that the Veteran's Retreat I attended was a turning point in my life."

Stephen L. Edwards, Jr.

Drawing upon palliative treatments such as meditation techniques described by the veteran, Stephen Edwards, the goal of the Veterans’ Village is to create an oasis for healing as modeled by spiritual leaders like Thich Nhat Hanh and Claude Anshin Thomas.

In the first phase, the Foundation will launch the building of the Veterans’ Village complete with living quarters, conference center, therapy center, recreation and art center, art gallery, restaurant, and a common dining area. Consonant with the spirit of healing, the retreat center will be constructed with ecology and energy efficiency in mind. As a self-sustaining community, the living unit will have organic vegetable gardens, solar energy panels, farm animals, and possibly its own irrigation and potable water supply. All participants will be expected to play a role in the upkeep and maintenance of the physical grounds.

Upon completion of the building, the project will enter into its second phase as the Veterans’ Village opens its doors. Health and wellness activities such as exercise and massage, art therapy, and counseling will be provided by trained staff and volunteers for veterans. The Village will maintain a core permanent staff (FTE) including doctors, nurses, psychologists, therapists, a career counselor, accountant, nutritionist, receptionist, and a public relations representative; along with trained volunteer counselors. Overseeing the coordination of all activities in the Village will be Nadia McCaffrey. Ms. McCaffrey has training as a nurse, years of experience offering palliative care for veterans and years in hospice alternative care.

Through referrals from city hospitals, public health offices, other networks such as Iraq & Afghanistan Veterans, IAVA, VFP, etc..and the VA, veterans will be invited to apply to participate in the retreat village. With an initial screening for general health and a psychological assessment, the participants will be admitted into the Village free of charge. The Village will not be equipped to service those with any serious medical condition requiring ongoing treatment. Veterans with families may also apply and will be admitted upon availability of space. The Center will be able to house 100 participants at any given time so as not to exceed the counselor to participant ratio of 1 to 15. As a self-sustaining community, the general upkeep of the physical compound as well as daily duties including cleaning, laundry, and cooking will be handled by the veteran participants. Applications will be made available in paper or online via Veterans’ Village home web page. Participants may sign up for a week-long retreat or longer upon assessment. All participating veterans will be eligible to come back for follow up visits at any time. The Village will make available scheduled as well as walk-in counselors for any veterans needing to talk. The goal of the Veteran’s Village is to equip individuals with tools necessary to cope and promote continual healing of the self and a successful reintegration into society. For evaluative purposes, the participants will be tracked for short term and long term successes. At the core of the healing program are one-on-one therapy sessions as well as group and family sessions to address specifically coping mechanisms for living with PTSD. The arts, including writing, painting, wood carving, gardening, video productions, photography, or music will also serve as a healing medium. Career and educational assessment and counseling will also be made available to anyone needing to think about next steps. Wellness activities include meditation sessions, exercise such as horse-back riding, swimming, jogging or walking.

Sergeant Patrick R. McCaffrey Sr.First Lieutenant Andre D. Tyson

Both of these men were killed by enemy fireyesterday June 22, 2004

Last night we loaded their bodies onto a C-130 for the last trip home. We saw them off as the warriors they are.

The entire Task Force was in two ranks facing each otheras the flag draped coffins were led onto the airplane,carried by the palbearers. As they past the entire unit, some 200 soldiers, came to attentionand saluted them out of respect, and loss.

After they were loaded onto the plane, the task force dispersed. Despite being on an airfield you could hear a pin drop.Not a word was spoken, whether out of grief or reverence I know not.

I am not sure why, but I stood at thedirect rear of the plane and watchedas the loadmaster raised the ramp to seal the aircraft. I did not have a camerawith me, nor would it have been appropriate despite being a moving picture,but my mind has taken a snapshot of the two flag draped coffins lined upin the rear of the aircraft. It is a mental snapshot I will carry with me, and will not forget.

I hope this is the only time we will have to do this. To date there are four men of the 81st brigade who will not be coming home to their families.As anyone who has served in the military knows the respect that is due to a fallencomrade, we gave them nothing less last night.

They have taken their place among our honored dead, who havegiven the ultimate sacrifice in answering a call that only they knew the reason to.Yesterday was not a good day.

D.Patton

Photo W. McLeod

Disclaimer

If you needtoreach"VeteransVillage ofSan Diego",we are not Affiliatedin any waywiththat organization. Click on thelink toaccess"VeteransVillageof SanDiego's"website:

"Veterans are the light at the tip of the candle, illuminating the way for the whole nation. If veterans can achieve awareness, transformation, understanding, and peace, they can share with the rest of society the realities of war. And they can teach us how to make peace with ourselves and each other, so we never have to use violence to resolve conflicts again"

Thich Nhat Hanh

Problem

May 26 1970 * June 22 2004Oil Painting 2007 by Jo Ann Musser

His last day, two hours before his own death, Patrick on the right, helping a friend who had collapsed from heat exhaustion, June 22 2004, Balad, Iraq

We Are aN Organization OF VOLUNTEERS501c3 Nonprofit Charitable Corporation